The apparatus of this invention lies in the field of desks for handicapped students or other workers who are confined to wheel chairs and is directed to such desks which are readily portable and which are arranged to facilitate positioning of the user in working relation and ease and convenience in use. It is more particularly directed to such a desk which is readily movable to the location of the user, which is adjustable in height to correspond to the size of the wheel chair, which provides adequate unobstructed space for reception of the forward portion of the wheel chair and for the legs of the user, and which is arranged to stabilize the relation of the wheel chair to the desk during use.
Many persons who are confined to wheel chairs temporarily or for extended periods of time have need for a desk or work table for study and writing, or for physical therapy, or even for light production work on small parts with hand tools. For such people a conventional office type desk is quite unsuitable because the chair opening is too narrow to admit a wheel chair. Also the desk top is too low to admit a wheel chair even if it is not equipped with a center drawer. Moreover it is heavy and cumbersome and cannot readily be moved to locations suitable for use.
Various special purpose desks and tables have been made from time to time for use in particular operations but they normally are also quite large and not suited to being moved about frequently, as well as having low work tops which would obstruct an arm chair. One type which has been proposed has what could be called an overhanging top with no floor level obstructions across the front but the top is very deep to provide storage space and thus has very small vertical clearance and has fore and aft extending supports at its side edges.
To be suitable for the intended purpose, a desk should be light and mobile, the space beneath the work table should be free of obstructions including the side edges, should be adjustable vertically for use with wheel chairs of varying heights, and should have an adequate fore and aft extent for use by an occupant having a full leg cast. In addition the work table should be dismountable for storage in minimum space.